You can do so many things with fruit. Eat it plain, dip it in chocolate or whipped cream or make it into a smoothie, and that's just for starters. But sometimes you just want to cut it up and eat it. Here are some fancy ways to cut fruit so you can make the prettiest fruit platter in all the land and just have fun with your food.

Mango City

Jennifer Nigro

I've cut my mangoes this way since I was a kid, and it definitely adds a fun aspect to mango-eating. Cut the mango in half, slicing it on each side of the pit. Then cut a grid into each half and pop the half inside out. You can eat the little mango buildings straight off the skin or cut them off first and eat them that way. 

Mandarin Orange Strip

Jennifer Nigro

Peeling mandarin oranges can get difficult and messy. Luckily, there's an easy way to go about it. 

Cut off the top and bottom of the orange, then cut a slice in the membrane. Roll it out and you have yourself a convenient strip of mandarin orange slices. 

Lemon Twists

Jennifer Nigro

Lemons really liven up a fruit tray or a drinking glass, so why not rise above the simple wedge? You can use it as a fancy garnish for lemonade, soda, or a whiskey sour

Cut the lemon in round slices, then make a slice to the center. Then pull the ends apart and make a twist. 

Kiwi Lotus

Jennifer Nigro

Buddhists regard the lotus flower as a symbol of rebirth and purity, so why wouldn't you want your kiwis to resemble them?

With a small knife, cut the ends off the kiwi. Then, cut zig zags around the fruit, inserting the knife halfway through the kiwi each time. Carefully separate both sides. To make the petals, cut away the peel of each point, and curl them out like a petal. 

Strawberry Rose

Jennifer Nigro

Strawberry roses have certainly made a name for themselves on the internet, effectively raising the bar for fruit baskets everywhere. Why eat a basic strawberry when you can eat a strawberry cut like a rose? As it turns out, it's pretty easy to do.

With a small knife, cut four slits, one on each side of the strawberry, and curl them out like a rose petal. For the second row of petals, cut four slits in between the first row petals and curl out. For the top, cut a slit and curl the two sides out. Now, will you accept this strawberry rose? 

Jennifer Nigro

With all your fruit cut, put display them on a cutting board and marvel at the natural beauty before you. Then, most importantly, dig in.